Windshield Washer Squirters -- Anyone Modified The Terrible Design?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
4,599
Reaction score
5,860
my volt has hood mount sprayers that work great. could do something like that, they sell those retro as well if you went that extreme.

I've not seen the ppv arms. Definitely room on my standard ones. looks like mine spray out of the end, instead of at a right angle to spray up.

interesting thing. sucks the water doesn't spray first. if these things weren't so canbus based, a small delay relay on the wiper motor would work. 2 seconds would probably do it.

kinda got me wanting to try these.

or

Screenshot_20251025-154029.png
 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
interesting thing. sucks the water doesn't spray first. if these things weren't so canbus based, a small delay relay on the wiper motor would work. 2 seconds would probably do it.

I thought about that too, but then when you want to do a quick wipe, you have to wait 2 seconds..
 

j91z28d1

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Posts
4,599
Reaction score
5,860
that would be annoying.

wonder if it's just delayed because the water drains back. could put a check valve near the cowl? anti drain back valve?
 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
Think there is a way..

Connect J4-15 on BCM and splice it to L terminal on wiper switch, delay circuit between L and J1-24.
(I'll probably connect everything on the BCM end, but mentioned the L terminal so there's no confusion)
That should activate the washer right away, and post delay circuit will connect to BCM J1-24 to do the wipe.

So we're delaying the ground trigger to the BCM that tell's it to wash/wipe, but are passing that signal to the washer relay immediately.

It's a separate signal from the mist or interval wipes, so there should be no delay there..
De-pinning J4-15 at BCM should work since the L terminal will be grounding the washer pump relay directly.
But leaving it connected should be fine also... (I'll probably de-pin it and wire heatshrink the terminal end so I can keep wire intact)

Will try it sometime this winter!

wipe1.png

wipe2.png
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Scrappycrow

Scrappycrow

Full Access Member
Air Force
Joined
Dec 22, 2023
Posts
434
Reaction score
683
Location
Alpharetta, Georgia
@j91z28d1, thanks for pointing out those clip-on squirters. I'd seen them, but discounted using them because where they'd clip on would still be in front of the blade. As for hood-mounted squirters, my overall policy for the Tahoe is to not implement anything that cannot be reversed, and cutting into the hood would not be reversible. I suppose they could be mounted through the cowl grilles, but that position looks as if they'd be blocked by the arm, rendering that placement ineffective.

@mikez71, before I got my LTZ, I was primarily looking at PPVs, but the wiper arms being different passed my notice. Do you know the rationale for different arms? It looks as if the squirter in that position on the PPV arms covers both sides, or am I wrong about that? On the subject of an automatic delay, I know that's implemented on other cars, as my '94 Camry had that.

 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
I heard the PPV arms were better at high speed..
The PPV squirters don't seem to work better than the j-hook arms.
(maybe worse)

2011 & 2012 PPV brochure says "Windshield Wipers - Intermittent, anti-lift with washer"
Also says "Intermittent, 2-speed with variable dwell and vehicle speed dependant"!

J-hook wiper blades are more common, but it looks like the PPV arm would shroud your squirter more, with less hanging out.

New arms have no splines, so you place it where you want, and tightening it down on the pivot creates new splines.

Agree, cowl doesn't look like a good angle.
Hood mounted should be better against freezing... hose not in the breeze, engine heat, plus shorter hose length. (I would like heated nozzles too.)
Cutting into hood... maybe if I'm cutting holes for hood vents I'd be more motivated..

Ordered 10 delay relays for $14.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Scrappycrow

Scrappycrow

Full Access Member
Air Force
Joined
Dec 22, 2023
Posts
434
Reaction score
683
Location
Alpharetta, Georgia
Agree, cowl doesn't look like a good angle.
Hood mounted should be better against freezing... hose not in the breeze, engine heat, plus shorter hose length. (I would like heated nozzles too.)
Cutting into hood... maybe if I'm cutting holes for hood vents I'd be more motivated..
I was just eyeballing it and it looks as if squirters installed in the outer cowl pieces where the hood hinge slots are and set to have streams in and up (maybe 30° up from horizontal for one nozzle and 15° inboard of vertical for another) might work. They wouldn't get engine heat and the hoses would be longer, though.
 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
Neat idea.. The driver side would be a short hose, the passenger long, but total length probably shorter.

My one concern would be wind at highway speeds..
 

kbuskill

***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Posts
5,819
Reaction score
9,820
Location
NE. FL.
To the best of my knowledge those "PPV Arms" are not PPV specific. They were used on the '07-'08 trucks including my '08 Suburban LTZ. I believe '09 is when they changed back to the J-hook style.

I have kicked around the idea of swapping mine out for the J-hook style but never been motivated enough to do it. I think the advantage of J-hook is more options for wiper blades. I use silicone blades so I rarely have to change them out so no big deal IMO.
 

Charlie207

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2021
Posts
3,009
Reaction score
5,903
Location
LFOD, New Hampshire
I thought about that too, but then when you want to do a quick wipe, you have to wait 2 seconds..
Every car I've had with hood/down mounted sprayers let you bump the stalk for a millisecond to pump fluid out of the nozzles before the wiper arms moved. You could do it 500 times in a row if you wanted. (edit: on retrospect, every car I've owned, regardless of nozzle location*)

GM cultists just don't realize how dumb a lot of the designs are because they always buy the same vehicle.

Donestic guys would have a heart attack with how advanced a European car from the 1980s was compared to the slop we got.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Scrappycrow

Scrappycrow

Full Access Member
Air Force
Joined
Dec 22, 2023
Posts
434
Reaction score
683
Location
Alpharetta, Georgia
Donestic guys would have a heart attack with how advanced a European car from the 1980s was compared to the slop we got.
As someone who's had a mid-'80s BMW 535i since '92, agreed. ABS, 4-wheel disc, 4-wheel independent suspension, port injection, automatic climate control, multi-function computer, instantaneous MPG needle, power windows/locks/sunroof, full leather, and a cruise control that worked (unlike our GMT 900s' cruise). Of course, it was a high-priced car back then (~$34K in '86, equivalent to ~$100K now).
 

Charlie207

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2021
Posts
3,009
Reaction score
5,903
Location
LFOD, New Hampshire
As someone who's had a mid-'80s BMW 535i since '92, agreed. ABS, 4-wheel disc, 4-wheel independent suspension, port injection, automatic climate control, multi-function computer, instantaneous MPG needle, power windows/locks/sunroof, full leather, and a cruise control that worked (unlike our GMT 900s' cruise). Of course, it was a high-priced car back then (~$34K in '86, equivalent to ~$100K now).

Don't forget heated seats and much higher HP/liter engines.

And, why the heck is our cruise-control absolute garbage?
 
OP
OP
Scrappycrow

Scrappycrow

Full Access Member
Air Force
Joined
Dec 22, 2023
Posts
434
Reaction score
683
Location
Alpharetta, Georgia
Don't forget heated seats and much higher HP/liter engines.

And, why the heck is our cruise-control absolute garbage?
In the case of the 535i, heated seats were only available in Europe.

I wish I knew why our cruise-control sucks.

OTOH, I can say that the panel fit/gaps of my Tahoe is noticeably superior to that of my 535i. This isn't due to the wear and tear on the BMW, but moreso that the Tahoe has benefited from computer-aided design and automated assembly, whereas the BMW's body design was from the early '70s (the E28 that came out in '82 is a modification of the earlier E12 that came out in '72).

OK, enough of this tangent! :rotflmao:
 

LSCALADE

Full Access Member
Joined
May 6, 2025
Posts
223
Reaction score
583
I drive an AUDI Q7 Diesel as my other car in addition to my escalade, its 2014 and the wiper system has heated jets to prevent freezing. Also when you activate the washing system, you hear the pump start and there is a delay maybe 1-2 seconds and only when water hits the windshield the wiper blades begin to move.
They also do a after wipe for any drops that may have come down the windshield after the wiping has been completed.

The icing of the cake, below 37F the wipers park themselves at the base of the windshield above the defrost vent to help with icing. Normal off position is behind the hood away from the airflow.
Also with the car off and locked the wipers can be manually moved to any position on the windshield for cleaning etc. Night an day compared to how primitive the Escalade is.
 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
Regarding heated washer nozzles/fluid, my hyundai washer heater doesn't appear to be heating anymore after about 1 year.. (Same design as stock GM washer heater)

Another reason I want heated nozzles. One bad 3 day experience with frozen nozzles and I don't want that ever again.

Wish there was a quality fluid heater too though..
 

Charlie207

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2021
Posts
3,009
Reaction score
5,903
Location
LFOD, New Hampshire
Regarding heated washer nozzles/fluid, my hyundai washer heater doesn't appear to be heating anymore after about 1 year.. (Same design as stock GM washer heater)

Another reason I want heated nozzles. One bad 3 day experience with frozen nozzles and I don't want that ever again.

Wish there was a quality fluid heater too though..
Have you tried the extra winter-mix fluid? I've never had nozzles freeze here, and it gets plenty cold in Jan/Feb. They've only gotten gummed up, which was cleared with some air-pressure blasted through the lines.
 

mikez71

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2023
Posts
3,183
Reaction score
3,934
I swear they don't sell winter mix here... It's banned or something..
And even then, I don't want to have to blow the lines out if a heated nozzle or fluid will do it..

(But forsure I'm going to buy 5 bottles of winter mix if I ever come across it.. maybe I'll try and order some..)

Might order this cheap heater..
 

Forum statistics

Threads
137,672
Posts
1,989,110
Members
102,675
Latest member
j_jerry79

Latest posts

Back
Top